Saturday, September 29, 2007

The Middle Kingdom was a time of great despair for Egypt. There were many foreign rulers who reigned for a good proximity of the Middle Kingdom. These foreigners came from the country of Nubia, and there were also a group of rulers called the Hyksos. These outsiders reigned over and deprived the Egyptians of their dignity.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Book Sources

Wilson, John Albert. The Culture of Ancient Egypt. The University of Chicago Press. 1956
Kamil, Jill. The Ancient Egyptians: Life in the Old Kingdom. The American University in Cairo Press. 1996

Beginning

The beginning of the Old Kingdom of Egypt there were two parts of Egypt. The man credited with uniting them is named Menes. He placed the capital at Memphis , which would be moved to Thebes. "The ancient Egyptians knew Memphis as the White Wall and described it as the balance of two lands." (Source) Thebes was the main capital for the majority of the middle and New Kingdom.
During the first dynasty, things such as papyrus were invented. This exalted writing to one of the most important reasons that we found all of the Egyptian artifacts, that we have found. The first important Pharoah was named Djoser. Djoser ordered the building of the first pyramid, a step pyramid. The Old Kingdom was really where most of the pyramids were built.
One of the most fascinating things of the Old Kingdom was their wealth. "The building of pyramids would not have been possible without a flourishing economy and a strong central government. Royal estates throughout the country centralised and provided the necessary resources that were needed in the construction of pyramid complexes. This required a powerful administration, both on a local and on a central level, to successfully manage the resources and ensure the flow of supplies, materials and riches to the central government." (Source) The economy of Egypt was ridiculous. They really could not have wanted more.
The Old Kingdom was the main timeframe for the great pyramids that the Egyptians built. These magnificent structures signaled greatness to other countries, and to the Egyptians as well. The greatest pyramid was that of Khufu. He built the most glorious pyramid in the history of Egypt.
When the Old Kingdom started getting into the 7th and 8th dynasties, Egypt began to collapse. There was a famine , high death rate, and civil disorder. (Source) With the climate getting dryer, the Egyptians were doing well to stay alive. This period is now known as the 1st illness. There was fighting for control, which produces the high death rate. This first illness ended the Old Kingdom.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

King Khufu

Khufu was one of the most remarkable pharoahs to ever embrace the Egyptian throne. He built one of the greatest pyramids ever known to man, and was one the richest pharoahs. His most famous pyramid was also called the "Great Pyramid."

Khufu's Accomplishments

The reign of Khufu was an average length. He grew up to marry and have nine sons, one of whom was his successor, and fifteen daughters. He was believed to be a cruel and ruthless king, who showed little or no mercy. He is said to have taken the throne in his twenties and have ruled for about twenty years. He began building his pyramid first thing, and is was finished in his last years on the throne.

The Great Pyramid

The Great Pyramid built by Khufu was the biggest and most glorious pyramid to ever come out of Egypt. The measures are as follows: "Khufu or Cheop's Great Pyramid is 756 feet (241 meters) square in plan, and 481 feet (153 meters) high. The angle of inclination of the triangular faces is about 51.5 degrees. The square of its height equals the area of each triangular face, as determined by Herodotus in 450 B. C. The base of the pyramid covers about 13 acres." (Source)

Khufu

Khufu, whose Greek name was Cheops, was the second king of the fourth dynasty. He is also believed to have had three wives, and is famous for building the Great Pyramid. (source) His life was long and prospering as with most pharoahs. He was loved by some, and hated by others, but most of all he was remembered for the pyramid that he constructed.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Why was the Code written?

Everybody has their own take on why Hammurabi wrote his code of laws. My take is that he saw that Babylon was struggling with their law system and decided to actually do something about it, so he wrote the code. Now, I don't think he knew that it would have such impact, like it did, but it all starts with one simple idea that can change the world. Hammurabi and his code

Babylon

The Code was written in Babylon and was first found on a column at Susa. Babylonia became one of the most famous city- states when Hammurabi moved the capital to Babylon, which led to the writing of the code. Babylon was also extremely well educated. There have been findings of records of highly developed history and science. They also practiced medicine, and chemistry. Babylon

Hammurabi

Hammurabi was a great ruler. He was believed to be a messneger of the gods laws. He was one of the first dynasty kings of Babylon, and he is most famous for his set of laws that governed Babylon. Hammurabi was the sixth king of Babylon, and he inherited the throne from his father, Sinmuballit. He also heightened the walls for defensive purposes and expanded the temples. Hammurabi

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

The History of the Code

The Code was first established in circa 1780 B.C. It consisted of 282 laws that expanded on all issues of life. Laws The Code was made so that no man would plead ignorance of the law, because all could see it. Excuses No, the code did not allow excuse or explanation, but it did allow presentation of evidences.

The Code of Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi was a set of laws that forever changed history as we know it. It covered all subjects from witchcraft, to crime, to trade. It was the first real set of laws that held strong in the ancient world.